Liquid dispensing apparatus for use in body treatment



I P 1968 J. E. M LAUGHLIN 3,399,676

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR USE IN BODY TREATMENT Filed Feb. 12,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

, JACK E M LAUGHLI/V ATTORNEYS Sept. 3, 1968 J. E. MCLAUGHLIN LIQUIDDISPENSING APPARATUS FOR USE IN BODY TREATMENT Filed Feb. 12, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 W1,MYJIW AT TOPNE VS United States PatentO 3,399,676LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR USE IN BODY TREATMENT Jack E.McLaughlin, 676 King Ave., Yuba City, Calif. 95991 Filed Feb. 12, 1965,Ser. No. 432,297 6 Claims. (Cl. 128229) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREApparatus for mixing and dispensing a temperature controlled, medicateddouche from any source of water, under pressure, including means formaintaining the medicated solution so discharged at a substantiallyuniform concentration, temperature, and pressure, from the beginning tothe end of the flow of the solution, and which means includes a watersoluble solid body of a medicament in a conduit for the water, so shapedand related tothe conduit as to provide a substantially uniform andconstant surface area in contact with the water during dissolution ofthe medicament.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing and applying atemperature controlled medicated douche.

Heretofore mixing and dispensing apparatus, such as disclosed in Us.Patent No. 3,044,465 of July 17, 1962, invented jointly by myself andEdith T. Anderson, has been adopted for use in hospitals and similarinstitutions for use by patients for similar purposes. However, suchinstallations are relatively expensive and require features for mixingchemicals and water delivered from different sources in differentamounts, all of which, together with the relatively numerous mechanicalelements, fittings, tubes, etc., require inspection and maintenanceproperly done by hospital employees. The present apparatus is one thatis suitable for home use by patients, in that it is quite simple, andprovision is made to insure its safety and the proper automatic mixingof solutions, free from dependence on special mixing valves.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of apparatus fordispensing and applying a temperature controlled medicated douche forthe treatment of certain diseases or conditions of the human body,followed by a temperature controlled rinse douche of water, or either,and which apparatus is very simple, rugged, safe, economical to make anduse, and one that will require little or no maintenance by skilledworkmen or otherwise.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple apparatus fordispensing an aqueous solution at a predetermined pressure, whichsolution includes one or more medicaments in a predetermined amount,said medicament or medicaments being a body of soluble material adaptedto dissolve in the water flowing thereover to provide a solution havingthe desired ratio of medicament to water for application to the part ofthe body to be treated, upon such solution being discharged onto saidpart.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an improveddischarge handle and medicament container that enables the handle to besafely changed while the water for said solution leading to the handleis maintained under pressure.

An additional object is the provision of a method and apparatus for homeuse by a patient independently of a nurse or other assistance for safelyapplying a medicated douche to parts of the body to be treated, andwhich apparatus may be safely loaded with the medicament by the patient.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description anddrawings.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus employed, includingthe water system.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a disposable applicator, separate from theapparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the applicator of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, part sectional, part elevationalview of coupling structure between the coaxial tubular parts of thecombined cartridge holder and handle of FIG. 5, said parts being shownbefore connection with each other.

FIG. 5 vis a vertical sectional view taken through the combined handleand cartridge holder.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through a cartridgeshown within the handle and holder of FIG. 5, but separate from saidhandle and holder.

In FIG. 1, tank 1 is vertically elongated, and while its capacity mayvary, a practical and adequate size for home use is one having aone-gallon capacity. As will later be explained, in the present instancethe arrangement is such that a one-gallon tank will deliver severalgallons of water to the applicator for continuous discharge at asubstantially uniform temperature.

A water supply pipe 2 enters the upper portion of the tank in relativelyclose relation to the top wall, which pipe is connected with the citymain or other main source, under the normal pressure of from 20 poundsper square inch upward. The tank is enclosed and completely filled, andthe Water supplied thereto through pipe 2 is unheated and is normally ofsubstantially uniform temperature.

A conventional, vertically elongated, rod-type electrical immersionheater 3 extends downwardly within the tank through the top wall of thelatter to a point adjacent to its bottom Wall, and a conventionalvertically elongated immersion thermostat 4, which is adjustable fortemperature control, also extends downwardly into the tank 1 through thetop wall of the latter with the control bulb of the thermostatrestricted to approximately the upper third of the tank 1, the height ofthe tank normally being several times its width, as shown in FIG. 1. Theheating element 3 and thermostat 4 are in an electrical circuit 5 inwhich a conventional circuit breaker 6 is positioned.

A discharge pipe 7 opens into a side of tank 1 adjacent to the bottom ofthe latter, and preferably at the side opposite to the cold water inlet2, and an adjustable pressure regulator 8 is provided in pipe 7 toreduce the pressure of the water at the discharge side of saidregulator.

Connected with the discharge side of the pressure regulator is aflexible tube 9, the discharge, or outer end of which is connected withone end of a handle, generally designated 10 (FIGS. 1, 5, 6). Aremovable applicator, generally designated 11 connects with the oppositeend of handle 10.

Handle 10 is elongated, and the end thereof with which the hose or tube9 is connected is formed with a head portion 14 having an open endedbore 15 extending therethrough transversely of the longitudinal axis ofthe handle 10. One end of bore 15 is formed with a counterbore 16, thelatter being threaded for a fitting 17 to which line 9 is connected.

A tapered shoulder 18 is formed at the juncture between bore 15 andcounterbore 16, which shoulder provides a valve seat for acomplementarily tapered outer surface of a valve element 19, whichelement is reciprocable within the counterbore 16 axially thereof.

The handle 10 will be described with respect to its position as seen inFIG. 5 since this is approximately its normal position when in use.

A spiral spring within the counterbore 16 reacts between said valveelement 19 and the fitting 17 to yieldably hold said valve elementsubstantially in closed position, until positively moved downwardly awayfrom the valve seat 18, although said valve element will normally beheld in closed position by the liquid pressure in line 9.

A finger actuatable button or valve actuating member 23 is at the upperend of bore 15 that is opposite to fitting 17, which member is in theform of a cap having a central depending projection 24 that, in turn, isreciprocable in bore 15 axially thereof. A depending annular flange 25on member 23 is adapted to receive the adjacent, restricted diameterportion 26 of head 14 when said member 23 is moved toward said head.

The lower end of the depending projection 24 on member 23 is formed withan axially outwardly opening recess 27, which is downwardly opening, asseen in FIG. 5, into which the upper end of a stem 28 loosely projects.This stern is coaxial with and extends upwardly from valve element 19,as seen in FIG. 5.

One side of the depending projection 24 on member 23 is formed with avertically elongated recess, and a screw 30 extends through one side ofthe portion 26 of head 14 and into said recess to limit the reciprocablemovement of the member 23 and the depending projection 24 thereon. Thisrecess is designated 29.

A coil spring 33 reacts between member 23 and the upper end of portion26 of head 14 to yieldably hold the member 23 in elevated position sothat the valve element 19 will be self seating under the influence ofliquid pressure in line 9 and spring 20. An O-ring 34 in an annularoutwardly opening recess on the depending projection 24 will seal theupper portion of bore 15 against leakage of liquid therepast.

When the member 23 is in elevated position, the pin or screw 30 willengage the lower end of the recess 29 in projection 24 and the loweredges of flange 25 will be approximately even with the upper end ofportion 26.

The main horizontal body of the handle 10 projects laterally away fromthe head portion 14, and is formed in two tubular parts, one part 35being integral with head 14 and the other part being designated 36 andin axially outward extension of part 35.

A horizontally extending bore 37 in part 35 opens at one end into a sideof bore 15 above the valve seat 18 in head 14, and the opposite end ofbore 37 spaced from bore 15 is counter-bored to provide an enlargeddiameter portion 38.

The outermost end section 39 of part 35 at the outer end of enlargement38, relative to head 14, is further internally enlarged with the innersurface of said section 39 being formed with recesses 40 (FIG. 4) atopposite sides thereof for releasably receiving locking lugs 43 on part36 to provide a substantially bayonet-type coupling between parts 35,36.

The part 36 is coaxial with part 35 and is formed with a bore 44 in theend portion thereof that is remote from the part 35 that is of adiameter substantially less than the diameter of bore 37, while bore 37is greater than bore 15.

The part 36 is counterbored from the end thereof that is adjacent topart 35 to provide an enlarged portion 45 coaxial with, and of the samediameter as the enlarged portion 38 in part 35.

The terminating end portion 46 of part 36 that is adjacent to part 35 ofreduced outside diameter and carries the locking lugs 43 that areadapted to enter the recesses 40 in end portion 39 of part 35. Therecesses 40 include generally helically extending portions 47 relativeto the axis of part 35 so that upon lugs 43 entering the recesses 40 andbeing given a predetermined fractional rotation relative to part 35(which rotation is limited by the outer closed ends of recesses 47), atight couple between parts 35, 36 will be elfected. However, theterminating end edge of the end portion 46 on part 36 is spaced from theaxially facing shoulder at the juncture 7 "between the end section 39 onpart 35 and the main body of the latter for an O-ring 48 to effect aliquid tight seal between said parts 35, 36.

The upper surface of part 35 is formed with an elongated dovetail grooveor recess 49 (FIG. 6) extending from a point adjacent to the portion 26on head 14 to the outer end of part 35, and a manually actuatableelongated slide 50 having its edges formed complementary to the dovetailsides of recess 49 is slidably fitted in recess 49 for horizontalreciprocable movement of the slide in said rece s longitudinally of thelatter.

The end portion 53 of slide 50 that is adjacent to portion 26 on head 14is adapted to slide under the flange 25 when the slide is moved towardsaid portion 26, to dot-dash line position 54 (FIGS. 5, 6) to positivelyprevent downward movement of the member 23 to a degree that would openvalve 19.

In the full line position of slide 50, as seen in FIGS. 5, 6, the endportion 55 that is remote from head 14 will enter a recess 56 formed inpart 36, when the parts 35, 36 are coupled together, thus preventingsaid parts from being uncoupled when the member 23 is in a position toactuate valve 19 to move the latter to open position.

A spring urged detent 57 is carried by slide 50 and is adapted to beyieldably held by spring 58 in a recess 59 formed in part 35 when theslide 50 is in the full line position, and said detent will be yieldablyheld in recess 60 when the slide is moved to the dot-dash line position54. Transversely extending ribs 63 formed on the upper surface of slide50 in a concavely curved row are adapted to be engaged by a finger ofthe user to push the slide to and from the full line position. Thus, theslide will be yieldably held in one position or the other according tothe recess in which detent 57 is held.

The outer end of part 36 is formed with an outwardly opening taper-sidedrecess 64 that is coaxial with bore 44, the smaller diameter end of saidrecess 64 being adjacent to the outer end of bore 44 and preferably oflarger diameter than the diameter of said bore, and the outer end ofpart 36, designated 65, is of reduced outside diameter and is threadedfor threadedly engaging the internal threads on annular flange 66 thatis formed on the head 67 of applicator retaining cap generallydesignated 68,

The applicator itself (FIGS. 2, 3) is an elongated relatively rigidplastic tube 69, one end of which is formed with a taper-sided head 70,the outer surfaces of which are complementary to the tapered surfaces ofthe enlarged taper-sided recess 64 of the bore 44, and the uniformdiameter passageway 71 in said tube (FIG. 5) opens outwardly throughsaid head coaxially thereof, while the opposite end of the tube isclosed.

The head 67 of retaining cap 68 is centrally apertured at 73 to pass thetube 69, and said head is counterbored at 74, to receive the largerdiameter end of the tapersided head 70 of tube 69. An axially facingshoulder 75 on head 67 of the retainer cap 68 is adapted to engage theaxially facing shoulder on the head 70 of the tube or applicator 69 atthe enlarged diameter end of said head 70, and a rabbet around. aperture73 of head 67 of the retainer cap 68 has an O-ring 76 therein to preventleakage of liquid past said ring. Also an O-ring 77 is positioned in arabbet around the inner side of flange 66 along its terminating end edgeto prevent leakage of liquid past the juncture between the retaining cap68 and the part 36.

The applicator tube itself is formed longitudinally thereof to agenerally ogee curve to provide a straight imperforate shank 78extending axially of the handle 10 for a short distance, then anangularly extending intermediate imperforate portion 79 and a straightouter, end portion 80 that is substantially parallel with the shank 78but offset to one side of the latter. The said outer end portion isformed with a pair of parallel rows of spaced spray openings 83 in theside that faces generally toward the longitudinal axis of the shank 78with the openings in one row in staggered relation to the openings inthe other row, and said openings in said rows are directed outwardly atan angle of approximately 5 degrees relative to vertical, when saidshank, intermediate portion and outer end portion are in a verticalplane, so that the solution ejected upwardly therefrom will not falldirectly back onto the openings to block the solution being ejected.

The shape of the applicator tube 69 enables it to extend over the rim ofa toilet bowl at the shank, with the perforated outer end portion 80 ina position below the perineal area of the body of a person seated on thetoilet.

The enlarged internal diameters 38, 45 of the parts 35, 36, togetherprovide a horizontally elongated, enlarged, cylindrical sided chamber 84of uniform diameter within the handle extending axially thereof, betweenbores 37, 44 and coaxial therewith. A cylindrical cartridge generallydesignated 85 is adapted to removably fit within chamber 84 and toextend approximately from end to end of the latter.

The cartridge 85 comprises a relatively thin, cylindrical, open endedouter shell of water impervious material 86 of an outside diameterslightly less than that of the chamber so as to be readily fitted insaid chamber and removed therefrom.

Within said shell, and preferably extending substantially from end toend thereof, is a solid, water soluble linerbody 87 composed of thedesired soluble salts or chemicals for medicating the area to which asolution of such chemicals is to be applied.

The body 87 is formed with a through passageway or bore 88 extendingaxially thereof, the perimeter of which bore is such that the exposedsurface area thereof will remain approximately uniform as the solid isdissolved. FIG. 7 shows a bore 88 as having a cross sectional contourcorresponding to the outline of a six-pointed star, which is one formthat is satisfactory. The rate of dissolution of the body 87 from thecore outwardly will be substantially constant until the body isdissolved. The chemical mixture of the body, and its rate of dissolutionby the water passing through the bore of the body will determine theconcentration of the medicated solution that is discharged from theapplicator.

The concentration of the solution discharged, and the time required fordissolving the body 87 at the temperature and rate of flow of the waterfrom tank 1, are normally such that, for a treatment, the body 87 willbe completely dissolved and it will be automatically followed by a rinseof clear warm water of the desired duration.

Referring back to the water tank 1, which, in a small household unit,has a capacity of approximately one gallon, the thermostat will beadjusted to attain the desired water temperature at the bottom of thetank, hence the temperature of the water in the upper portion of thetank will be substantially higher.

In use, as warm water of the desired temperature is drawn from thebottom of the tank through line 7, cold water from inlet pipe 2 willenter the top of the tank to mix with the hot water in the upper portionof the tank, lower its temperature so it will be at the desiredtemperature when discharged. Thus, in one treatment, approximately twogallons of water at the desired warm temperature may be drawncontinuously from a one-gallon tank.

The importance of this arrangement is in not only providing a small unitthat may be carried by a person while travelling, but one that is lightin weight and economical to make, and one in which the patient mayreadily perform the desired or necessary cleansing, medicating andrinsing operation without using a timer or complicated shut-olTmechanism, since the slight change in the temperature of the solution isapparent when approximately two gallons of water has passed through thedevice.

Obviously, proportions and sizes may be modified to provide for longeror shorter application, and the volume of the soluble body 87 may varywithout changing the structure of the apparatus itself.

A drain opening 89 may be formed in the underside of the outer portion80 at each end of the portion 80 (FIG.

3) to provide for drainage of liquid from the applicator before it isremoved and stored. Obviously, the structure of the handle andapplicator enable quick replacement of the applicator where severalpersons are using the device, so there will be no danger from crosscontamination.

In order to insert or replace a cartridge 85, it should be noted thatthe parts 35, 36 must be separated, and to separate them, the slide 50must be moved toward the head 14 of the handle so that end portion 55 ofthe slide is out of the recess 56 in part 35. Thus it is apparent thatthe finger actuatable member 23 cannot be depressed to open valve 19when the parts 35, 36 are being separated.

Insofar as the applicator itself is concerned, for convenience of theuser in positioning the applicator so the push button 23 is uppermostwhen the end portion is lowermost, one edge of the head 69 on theapplicator may be notched out at 90 (FIG. 3) to receive a correspondingprojection 91 (FIG. 5) that projects radially inwardly into the tapersided recess 64 at the smaller diameter end of the latter. By thisstructure the applicator will always be in the correct and mostconvenient position relative to the valve actuating button or cap 23 onhead 14.

While the cold water inlet pipe 2 may be more or less permanentlyconnected with a municipal or other water supply source under the usualpressure, a flexible hose 92 may be connected with said pipe 2 having asuitable coupling 93 for connecting it with a source of water underpressure, thus enabling a person to carry the apparatus from place toplace and connect it with any suitable water system.

The bore 44 between the cartridge and the applicator restricts the flowof water at this point so that the bore of the cartridge 85 is alwaysfilled with water, thereby insuring proper concentration of thechemicals in the water. Preferably the pressure regulator 8 is set for apressure of three to five pounds on the low presure side. At thispressure the water will flow to the applicator and from the latter atthe rate of approximately one and one-half of two quarts per minute.Most treatments last from about two to three minutes, hence from aboutone to one and one-half gallons of water are used at each application.

As has been noted, the cartridge will dissolve when substantially onegallon of water has passed through the applicator, and thereafter thewater will be clear, thus automatically providing a rinse ofclear'temperature controlled water, since the incoming water will bemixed with the hotter water in the upper portion of the tank as thewater at the correct temperature is withdrawn from the lower end of thetank.

The handle 10 and applicator 69 as a whole or unit may be called adispensing nozzle or nozzle.

While no claim is made to any specific formulation for the cartridge,one example of a formulation that is satisfactory for many types oftreatment, and principally for its cleansing and antiseptic properties,is as follows:

Percent Sodium lauryl sulfate 34.0 Coconut acid ester of sodiumisothionate 5.0 Sodium bicarbonate, U.S.P. 56.4 Citric acid, U.S.P 3.54Hexachlorophene 1.0 Lilac perfume 0.06

It is obvious that others may be formulated for different purposes butpreferably they should be of a character that will completely dissolvein a single treatment of normal length at the desired temperature with arinse at the end of such treatment. Inasmuch as each treatment isnormally of short duration of substantially less than five minutes, auser quickly knows when a full treatment is concluded without anyautomatic time or volume control. One feature that contributes to thesafety in the use of the device is that the cartridge, which may becalled the prescription product, is a water soluble product that isautomatically dissolved in water at a predetermined tem perature at apredetermined rate during a treatment to be 7 applied to the part to betreated at a predetermined safe pressure and to be exhausted as amedicated solution when the treatment is concluded and immediatelyfollowed by a rinse of clear water at the desired temperature andpressure.

The apparatus described broadly enables the carrying out of a method oftreatment of tissue within the body of a person that comprises the stepsof; providing a body of water and heating water of said body to apredetermined temperature that is safe for application to said tissue;conducting the water so heated through a passageway having inner wallsof a limited section thereof of a solid, water-solvent materialincluding a medicament to provide a solution that includes saidmedicament, and discharging said solution at the end of said passagewayinto a person against said tissue; controlling the rate of flow of saidwater and the volume thereof through said section to a predeterminedrate and volume per minute proportioned to the rate of solubility ofsaid section to provide for discharge at said end of said passageway ofa solution having said medicament of substantially uniform strength, andlimiting the volume of said section of said walls to an amountsubstantially sufiicient for one treatment only, and thereaftercontinuing the passage of water from said body thereof through saidpassageway to said discharge point without interruption to thereby rinsethe tissues against which said solution has been applied.

Heretofore where liquids are mixed with water to form a solution to beapplied to body tissues which may be injured or diseased, there has beena problem of maintaining the solution at a uniform temperature. Thedifferent liquids must be heated to the temperature of the water, or thetemperature of the solution will vary as the temperature of thedifferent liquids vary, and where some of the liquids must be replaced,the replacement liquids would be brought to the desired temperature.

This is not diflicult in larger installations, as in hospitals, wherethe entire system including the sources of the dilierent ingredients ofthe mixture are maintained in a heated area, but, for home use, there isno room for the facilities necessary to accomplish this result.

The use of the word medicament is intended to include antiseptics ordisinfectants and any other products that are adapted to promote theWelfare of the tissues to which the solution is applied, including thosethat promote the efiiciency of the solution in any way.

In the present instance there is no such problem since no liquids areintroduced into the water, yet the ultimate solution is the same aswhere liquids were added to make the solution.

The advantages of the particular structure employed has been described.Obviously other modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that any modifications within the scope of the claims may bemade in construction without departing from the principle of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for making and dispensing an aqueous cleansing,sanitizing, and treating solution for application to body tissue withina body cavity, wound and the like; a dispensing nozzle, comprising:

(a) an elongated outer tubular body having a passageway extendingtherethrough opening outwardly of said body at its opposite endsproviding an inlet for water at one end and an outlet for said solutionat its opposite end;

(b) said body being separable along a line of sep aration extendingtransversely of said body and passageway at a point intermediate theends of said body for exposing sections of said passageway at oppositesides of said line of separation for receiving opposite end portions ofan elongated cartridge of water soluble salts therein in a positionextending transversely across said line of division when said endportions of said body are connected together, and for dividing said bodyinto an inlet end portion having said inlet and an outlet end portionhaving said outlet, said sections of said passageway being elongatedlongitudinally of said body and of a larger uniform diameter than theportions of said passageway respectively extending therefrom toward saidinlet and said outlet, and reduced diameter portions of said passagewayin said inlet and outlet end portions of said body so extending fromsaid sections toward said inlet and outlet;

(c) a cartridge comprising an elongated tubular openended body ofsolidified water soluble salts incorporating a medicament, and an outertubular shell of water impermeable material around and coaxial with saidbody of salts and bonded therewith, said cartridge being removablydisposed within said sections of said passageway extending across saidline of division substantially to said reduced diameter portions at itsends whereby upon separation of said body an end portion of saidcartridge will project from said inlet or said outlet portion of saidbody for removal and replacement, said cartridge having an open-endedbore, the open ends of which are respectively adjacent to and coaxialwith said reduced diameter portions of said passageway for conductingsaid water through said bore in contact with the walls thereof from saidinlet end portion to said outlet end portion whereby said walls of saidbore will be dissolved by said water to form the solution conducted tosaid outlet and the radially outer surface of said body of salts will besealed by said shell against contact with the water passing through saidbore until said body of salts is substantially completely dissolved;

(d) coupling means respectively on said inlet and said outlet endportions of said outer tubular body adjacent to said line of separationmovable from uncoupled position in which said end portions aredisconnected to coupled position, securing said end portions togetherand vice versa when said cartridge is enclosed with said larger diametersections of said passageway and said end portions are in engagement witheach other at said line of separation;

(e) a valve member in said inlet end portion movable from a closedposition to an open position and vice versa;

(f) finger actuatable valve actuating means supported on said inlet endportion for reciprocable movement transversely of said outer body andprojecting from one side of said inlet end portion operably connectedwith said valve member 'for moving said valve member from said closedposition to said open p0- sition'upon application of pressure of afinger of the operator grasping said outlet end portion against saidfinger actuatable means, and means for automatically moving said fingeractuatable valve actuating means to its original outward projectingposition upon removal of pressure against said finger actuatable valveactuating means to permit movement of said valve member to said closedposition and means for automatically so moving said valve member to saidclosed position upon removal of said pressure;

(g) said nozzle including an elongated tubular applicator removablysecured at one end thereof in said outlet in a position rigid relativeto said outlet end portion and projecting axially outwardly of saidouter tubular body for conducting said solution from said passageway andinlet, said applicator being formed with a plurality of dischargeopenings for discharge 'of said solution againstsaid tissue when saidapplicator is within a body cavity or a wound;

(b) means for connecting said inlet with a source of water underpressure.

2. In apparatus as defined in claim 1:

(i) finger actuatable body locking means supported on said elongatedouter body for reciprocable movement longitudinally of the latter froman unlocked position to one side of said line of division in which saidcoupling means are movable from said uncoupled position to said coupledposition, to a locked position extending across said line of divisionand in engagement with said outlet end portion positively locking saidcoupling means in coupled position against movement to said uncoupledposition and vice versa, said finger actuatable body locking means beingbetween said line of division and said finger actuatable valve actuatingmeans accessible for operation to the finger adapted to actuate saidvalve actuating means.

3. In apparatus as defined in claim 2:

(j) valve holding means on said body locking means movable therewithupon movement of said body locking means to unlocked position into aposition obstructing movement of said finger actuatable valve actuatingmeans for moving said valve member to its open position, whereby saidfinger actuatable valve actuating means will be inoperative for movingsaid valve member to open position when said body locking means is inits unlocked position;

(k) said valve holding means being movable with said body locking meansto a position releasing said valve actuating means in which said fingeractuatable valve actuating means is free for moving said valve member toits open position upon movement of said body locking means to its saidlocked position.

4. In apparatus as defined in claim 1:

(i) the cross sectional contour of said shell being of uniform crosssectional contour from end to end and the surface of said bore of saidcartridge being of a uniform cross sectional contour 'from end to end ofsaid cartridge to provide a substantially uniform amount of surface areaexposed to said water at all times during dissolution of said solid bodyof salts from said bore outwardly to said shell, whereby the strength ofsaid solution will remain substantially uniform during flow of saidwater through ed noncircular bore therethrough, the open ends of whichare respectively in communication with said inlet and outlet forconducting said water through said bore in contact with the wallsthereof to said outlet, the inner surface area of the walls forming saidbore being substantially equal to the outer surface area of saidcartridge, and the surface of said =bore being of a uniform crosssectional contour from end to end of said cartridge, whereby apredetermined amount of surface area is exposed to intimate contact withthe water adapted to pass through said bore from said inlet, and saidsurface area so exposed will remain approximately uniform as said solidis dissolved radially outwardly to pro vide a solution of substantiallyuniform strength for passage 'from said solid body to said outlet,

(c) said dispensing nozzle including a tubular applicator for saidsolution removably secured at one end thereof in said outlet andprojecting outwardly of said body for insertion into the body cavity ofa person, said applicator having discharge openings formed in itsoutwardly projecting portion for discharge of said solution onto saidtissues;

((1) a manually actuatable valve member on said elongated body at saidinlet to said passageway for opening and closing said passageway to flowof Water therethrough and past said cartridge; and

(e) means for connecting said valve member to a source of water underpressure for passage through the latter to said passageway.

6. In apparatus as defined in claim 5: (f) said passageway being ofcylindrical cross-sectional References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS saidbore to said outlet and during complete di 745,315 12/1903 1 28585solution of said solid body of salts, 808,446 12/1905 1 t a1 285-85 5.In apparatus for making and dispensing aqueous 1,428,933 9/ 1922 e n285-85 XR solutions 'for application to body tissues within b d1,654,745 1/ 1923 Mi l r 128229 cavities, wounds and the like, forcleansing, sanitizing 1,858,054 5/ 1932 and treating Said tissues;2,117,622 5/1938 Morton et al. 128229 (a) a dispensing nozzle comprisingan elongated body 2,199,844 5/ 1940 T ker 128-229 having a passagewaytherethrough longitudinally 2,272,381 2/1942 Marvln 128229 thereofprovided with an inlet for water at one end 2,484,290 10/1949 Handel128239 thereof and an outlet at its opposite end; 3,044,465 7/ 1962Anderson t a1 128230 (b) a cartridge comprising a solid body of watersolu- 3085573 4/1963 Meyer et 224 XR ble salts incorporating amedicament therein held within said passage-way spaced between saidinlet and said outlet, said cartridge having an axial open end- RIOHARDA. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner.

